Hip hop artist and fashion darling A$AP Rocky and Guess are reviving the ’90s with the launch of Guess Originals, a new line that brings cultural icons into collaboration with Guess Founder and Chief Creative Officer Paul Marciano. Guess Originals reimagines iconic Guess styles for a contemporary consumer.
For the first collection, A$AP Rocky and Marciano return to the ’90s, when A$AP Rocky and a fashion-obsessed generation grew up alongside Guess, sporting the iconic triangle logo on the back pocket of their denim jeans.
“It’s taking archival designs and adding a new twist, and developing new colorways,” said A$AP Rocky in a press release. “Something for men, women, boys, and girls around the world. It’s a very personal collection: limited and very focused. I think this is dope because hip hop hasn’t seen these color ways and patterns since the early ’90s.”
The collection focuses on simple fabric choices and fuss-free designs, including Tencel fabrications, pinstripes and light blue acid washes in classic denim silhouettes. The men’s collection features oversized denim trucker jackets, large pocket details and back pocket patch detailing, tailored denim overalls, relaxed shoulder drop neck varsity stripe tees and relaxed drop shoulder mock neck tees and hoodies. The women’s range is led by denim high-rise shorts, vintage overalls, skinny jeans and denim swimwear.
Meanwhile, styles that smack of the decade, including a Guess logo crop top and varsity bomber jackets, evoke the ’90s youth music culture. In a subtle nod to the collaborator, the “GUESS Jeans USA” logotype is altered to read $ in GUE$$ throughout both women’s and menswear collections.
Marciano commented, “[A$AP Rocky] had a clear vision and explained what Guess meant to him growing up and to the hip hop community. He wanted to revitalize that emotion and curate a special collection inspired by classic Guess pieces.”
To celebrate the launch of Guess Originals, the brand launched an art installation in New York City last weekend. Guess collaborated with AWGE, A$AP Rocky’s art direction team, to create the installation based on a ’90s video arcade and featuring original artwork and video game stations.
Opening Ceremony, Union and RSVP Gallery will pre-launch the collection on Jan. 30, offering select styles and exclusives. The full collection will be available beginning Feb. 15 select U.S. Guess stores and Guess.com.
